Hi all-

Kevin Taylor makes some really good points. Be flexible. Look at what needs to be looked at most. Look away from the guitar when you can.

Here's one more idea:

Have you ever tried playing with your eyes closed, looking at nothing at all?

I sometimes introduce this challenge to my students as a way of focussing their attention on the *feel" of the moves that each hand has to make, rather than the *appearance* as seen by the eyes. I believe this can help the muscle-memory develop even faster, cementing your good habits and skills into you repertoire.

By practicing certain moves with your eyes closed, your are asking your hands to rely on other cues besides visual cues. Like, the feel of the strings, the thickness of the strings, the distance and angle between one finger and the next, the speed at which a finger must move, the pressure your fingers are applying...all internal-experience stuff. Felt, more than seen.

Also, sometimes the need-to-look becomes a bit like comfort food. You don't trust yourself to make that chord correctly unless you monitor it closely. Many times, you may find that your hand is perfectly able to make that move without all that supervision - and that fact will free you attention so that it can be applied to places that DO need your eyes...

Let us know your thoughts-
Best wishes, Lisa